


The Artist and the Recluse

by JacksWild



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Beauty and the Beast AU, M/M, Romance, Timeless
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 07:55:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10692843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JacksWild/pseuds/JacksWild
Summary: When all seems to continue as it always has been, Harry finds his restlessness challenged in a way he never anticipated.





	The Artist and the Recluse

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lizzy0305](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizzy0305/gifts).



> A fic promised. As always your devoted reader - Lizzy0305 this is for you.

Chapter 1 

The world was beautiful the bright sunny morning where our story starts. The edges of Paris, the fringes of the city, where you could still see the technology creep in to the old buildings and the even older culture. People here were kind, simple, and often single minded. Grow-up, learn a single profession often handed down to you through your family, find a spouse and build a family. These were the foundations of the people who lived in this tiny village, not unlike so many others around the world. 

This is where we meet Harry a Potters son. Harry is unlike most of his years, incredibly willful, strong and wise beyond his right. With a courageous heart and a lions share of longing, Harry greets every day as if there is something on the verge of happening. Ever a beautiful boy, Harry grew to side step the conversations of future families, amorous women, and determined mothers. 

It’s a morning unlike all the others, Harry wakes to the feeling of something… stirring in the air. 

 

***///***\\\\\\***

“Uncle, did you remember to let Padfoot out this morning?” there was a faint edge of humor, Harry knew his Uncle had forgotten, just as he had every morning for the past 12 years of the old sheep dog’s life. There would have been a twinkle in his eye, had his uncle looked up to see it. 

“Yes… yes… of course, just a bit ago, yes…” Harry smiled in spite of his soft ire, Lupin had always been a fair bit forgetful and as he got older this hadn’t improved. With his tireless work towards creating a vaccine to help with rabies he often would forget to sleep, let alone eat, bathe or see the sun. Harry set down a dish of biscuits and a cup of steaming tea. 

“Make sure to eat that. I am off to work, but I will be back down around lunch to make sure that you are keeping track of eating.” With that he brushed his uncles shoulder and made to go up the stairs. Theirs was a modest home. A brick three story structure built between a coffee shop and a second hand fabric store, nary 12 feet from side to side, most of the space in the home was from the front to the back with a long walk from the front door to the back patio. 

He swung around the stair rail on the second floor, skipped the third step on the second floor walkup and all but bounced over his railing for his room on the third floor. With windows on the front and back of the attic like space, and his work room in the front with his bed and toilet in the back, Harry was hard pressed to ever complain truly about his daily life. 

He opened the windows and let the soft spring breeze through, the way it rustled against the stain glass chimes he had hanging throughout the ceiling beams always had a way of calming him down and setting him in the right mood to make his inspired designs. 

He turned the switch for the wheel and listened to the hum of the motor as it started up, reminding him that he once again had forgotten to spare some time to go out to Thomas’ shop for a bit of new wire for his frayed cable. He stared hard at his wall of clays, waiting for the correct mixture to stand out for him to make his newest request. He had been holding off on working the pottery frame for the elegant mirror that he had crafted. But as Mrs. Malfoy had paid handsomely for the mirror and promised to pay adequately should he frame it as well, he had every reason to complete the piece soon. 

He smiled as he thought about the son of the Malfoy family, the heir to one of the richest families in the world. He was handsome, of that Harry could and would readily admit, but he was absolutely and resiliently the most arrogant man Harry had had the misfortune of meeting. His father hadn’t been nearly so arrogant towards his last days. Harry’s eyes drifted to the 7-foot mirror that was leaning against the back wall of the shop. This was the Senior’s gift to his son for his bride-to-be, before the elder had passed last Fall. It was truly one of Harry’s greatest accomplishments, crafted with lace in between the silver and the glass, it offered both a full body and clear picture of whatever stood in front, while being just delicate enough to help offset the opulence of the size. 

His smile widened as he realized the proper clay that he would utilize to build the gilt frame. The request being that it was blush gold. Easy enough to do, once he had all the pieces crafted. He sat down and started wetting the clay, using the fine musculature in his lean arms to craft long thick pieces of clay setting them aside one at a time and letting them air dry to the right temperature. He let his mind drift, the work in the beginning of every piece, as mindless as the use of his body to create such art. 

Hours later he set the last piece aside and moved to fix the stiffness of his back, the next few hours he would work to craft and mold each piece to be gilded with flowers, hearts, lace, and any manner of fairy and delicate thing that his mind thought would bring brilliance to his work. But for now it was lunch and time to take a walk out back to check on his uncle.

***///***\\\\\\***

As such, the days followed. Years it seemed always went by in the span of days, Harry waking every morning, making sure the house moved forward, his uncle, the dog, and his work. He wouldn’t say aloud to anyone of his restlessness, but it flittered along his skin with every waking moment and every eye opening minute in the nights. He wanted more, he wanted to escape and see the world, he wanted to explore and feel. But he puttered away, taking care to make sure that his world, finely crafted to take care of those in his immediate life were taken care of. 

Three weeks later, he stood back from his piece and smiled with triumph. It was complete and utterly and completely gorgeous. He was beyond happy with the result as he pulled out his camera to take pictures for his portfolio. He would take the piece up to the Malfoy Manor the next morning, but for now he had several hours to relax for the first time in weeks and he was going to use them to the fullest. 

Harry made sure to set out a bit of chocolate and spiced tea for his uncle to get through the afternoon as he went about his errands. Tossed a coat on and left the home, Padfoot walking patiently and highly dignified at his heels. He stopped by the coffee shop, selected an espresso for himself and a water for his pup and then headed toward the dog walk that was on the other end of the town square. 

He would never say that he didn’t love his town, with the simple people that knew one another there was a certain familiarity that he knew with certainty wouldn’t be found anywhere else, regardless of his lack of travel or knowledge on such matters. With a smile he waved to Mr. Weasley and helped Neville, the florist, move his big cumbersome pots to the back of the building all the while Padfoot waited patiently at the front of the store, knowing his freedom would come, as much as acknowledging that people were people in this town and no single person could walk from one side of the village to the other without stopping, talking or helping. 

After a few more salutations and small chats, they finally reached the edge of the park – Harry winking down at his pup as he took off full speed racing his beautiful hound. He knew that without a doubt he would lose, as he did every time he chose to race against his beast, but the sheer thrill of running in the large park was almost as impossible to resist as the joy of hearing his hound howl into the vastness of the midday sun. 

He stopped after a bit and let Padfoot run about while he sat down against the tree and pulled his book from his pack. He had been putting off his studies since he’d started the mirror and now that it was done, he was determined to complete the book and start writing his thesis. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his art, nor that he didn’t think it would pay the bills – but Harry had always had a passion to learn more, seeking more knowledge with the thirst of a child deprived of water after a day in the sun. Before he knew it he was sucked into the artful skills of writing of Kaku. 

“As always, the beautiful artist is found sitting in the dirt- his nose in a book when true beauty is standing in front of him.” The masculine voice sent a tingle of awareness through Harry, even as the words put him off. He couldn’t possibly be more at odds with just how much he was attracted to and annoyed by the Malfoy heir.

“Draco.” 

“Oh, is that all it is now? Not even a proper hello, or a glance spared to see the handsome person sparing his time to greet you?” 

Harry couldn’t suppress the smirk, he had always been a glutton for punishment. His eyes drifted upward and he took in the full picture of the man in front of him. Making sure to take his time and take in the full look of the attractive blond man. The tight dark wash jeans, the black t-shirt with the logo tastefully laid upon the chest and the undercut that leant an air of sophistication as much as it allowed for childish need to rebel. The blue eyes piercing Harry in two, almost made it hard to remember why he was so adamant against the heir, “Like what you see, Artist?” … ahhhh there it was.

“As always, you meet visual expectations Draco, that was never the problem.” 

“Ahhh, once again it’s a pleasure when you tell me of my charms.”

“Yes, as we know they begin and end with your appearance…” 

“That’s all a man needs, Artist. Surely, you don’t think you will get far with just your art and your mind? You are truly blessed that you are as beautiful as you are. After all, no lover would want a man who could not be a true match in appearance.”

“As you say, Draco. I’ve yet to care one wit for your looks enough to over-look all your other failures of personality.” 

“Tsk, you call them failures, I call them my personal enhancements. Enough of this – one day I will win you over, how is the mirror?” 

“Ahh, the mirror for your bride-to-be?” Harry let his smirk ride a little higher, “Yes, it is complete and I will be bringing it by tomorrow morning. How is Ginny bye the bye?” 

“As always she is fair and easily trained. I am sure she will throw a party as fit for our station. Your services may be required to create new pieces when she moves in… I might move you in to the work house out back, keep you at hand when I… have need of your, imaginative services.”

Harry felt the bile rise up as his humor fled. The mere idea that Malfoy was getting prepared to marry one of the most sought out daughters in France, and was planning on his desired paramour to be stationed within the same home, disgusted Harry unlike anything he could remember.

“I am sure you will be able to find someone else to service your requests. I fail to see a reason to continue this liaison, please leave me at peace.” Harry lifted his book back and started reading, noticing that Padfoot, who had been patiently watching from the tree next to his, moved forward. 

“Artist, you know you couldn’t possibly get a better offer.” Draco moved forward and all but squealed when the hound leapt forward between his master and the intruder. 

“I believe I’ve made myself clear.” 

“This isn’t over, Artist. I will make you mine, you just need to be properly wooed. All in good time.” At this, Harry watched from the corner of his eye as the blond heir, fixed his shirt and hair and swiftly turned and left. 

“Thank you, beasty. There is a fine treat in your future, this evening for your protections.”

***///***\\\\\\***

**Author's Note:**

> I only have two chapters so far. I will be working on this as I can. I have a basic outline - haha Beauty and Beast, with some small twists. Hope you all enjoy it and please be kind. I know I have a habit of starting and never finishing things. So here's to Lizzy0305 keeping me honest and hopefully enjoying this enough to push me to finish each installment. 
> 
> And as always, comments and kudos feed my soul.


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